I question things which people take for granted. I would have been that kid who said the emperor was naked. In real life that kid would probably have been lynched, but I'll take my chances...
I believe truth inherently valuable, no matter how well intentioned the ideology it dispels may be.
I also write about random interesting things from my personal life.

24 January 2009

Love addiction

Jan 24, 2009

Love addiction

I read something recently about psychologists and neurologists who decided to put people in the early passionate stages of new love into an MRI machine. They showed the volunteer subjects various pictures,
some of the object of their affections, some not, and watched how theirbrains responded differently.

As it turns out, the analogies with drug addiction aren't just a matter of
poetic license.

The craving, the irrational behavior, the withdrawal when forced to go without, they seem similar because the same parts of the brain respond to each, and in the same way.

The author of the article I read said that love was like a drug.

But of course, evolution didn't develop our brains to respond positively to cocaine, heroin, or nicotine. There would be no incentive.

There is, however, very strong biological incentive to have people fall
passionately in love.

Which means its far more likely that drugs are like love, not the other way
around.

Perhaps the whole reason drugs have appeal in the first place is that they artificially take the place that passion and romance are supposed to.

Makes me think about narcotics in a whole new way. Sure seems simpler than dating. I guess there could be a downside I'm not considering....